Some older Lake Highlands homes may be equipped with a ‘ticking time bomb’

March 9, 2010, was a rough day for the Clardy family.
That morning, Karen Clardy and her husband, Floyd, were forced to
euthanize their beloved pet, an ailing 8-year-old rottweiler. That
night, after the couple had settled in to nurse their wounds, they heard
a loud pop and the lights went out. In the garage, they saw flames
shooting out of a breaker box.

“The fire extinguisher did nothing to help,” Clardy says.

She had time to grab her purse and her other dog and run to the lawn
before her home near Forest Meadow Junior High was engulfed in flames.

“I just thought, ‘This isn’t happening.’ I’ve imagined before what I
might try to save if my house ever caught fire. In reality, I didn’t
have time for any of it,” she says.

Six fire trucks arrived within five minutes, but by then the house
had suffered $190,000 worth of damage and would be unlivable for the
next five months.

The source of the fire, according to Dallas Fire-Rescue reports, was the electrical panel, a Federal Pacific Electric Stab-Lok.

The Clardy fire quickly became the jumping-off point for discussion,
followed by both a Dallas Morning News story and an NBC5 report about
the Federal Pacific brand, which is a type of circuit breaker used in
many homes built in our neighborhood in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s.

The panels are considered unsafe. A breaker, when overloaded, is
supposed to automatically flip off, says Gus Antos, co-owner of
Milestone electric company, but the FPE panels don’t always
automatically turn off or “trip”. There has been at least one class
action lawsuit (in New Jersey) against Federal Pacific Electric, and the
company is no longer in business.

Clardy, whose misfortune was cited in both stories, says she doesn’t mind the media attention.

“I am glad people are learning about this,” she says. “If I’d have
known that the panel was dangerous, I wouldn’t have thought twice about
getting it replaced.”

But it’s not an easy decision for everyone. Replacement can cost as much as $2,500 or more in some cases, Antos says.

“I think of it like putting your seatbelt on. Chances are good that
when you get in your car, you are not going to get in an accident, but
that doesn’t stop you from buckling up, just in case. The difference is
that this is a big expense for some people, and it’s not a sexy
purchase.”

Jason Page, a 29-year-old pharmacy technician, has an FPE breaker in a
closet of his White Rock area home. He has heard about the potential
hazards but hesitates to replace it.

“It’s a lot of money. There are so many other things I would rather
spend that money on,” he says, frowning. “But I know I really should.”

Lake Highlands resident Keith Graham knew about the potential dangers
of his FPE panel and wishes he hadn’t waited to replace his. Just after
midnight on May 16, 2009, he and his wife, Kathleen, awakened to their
“dogs barking like crazy.” They thought someone was breaking in.

Keith jumped into action.

“In the seconds between getting up and reaching the garage, I noticed
the lights were out. I wondered, ‘Did they turn off our electricity?’”

He opened the garage door to an inferno that had already engulfed the
family car. He yelled at his wife to get their son, Jason, and get out.
Smoke filled the house. He grabbed his phone, dialed 911 and ran out
the front door hollering for his wife, but no answer. He ran back
inside.

“I was screaming at the 911 operator, screaming for my wife and son
at the same time, and then I heard the fire truck outside and they drove
right by my house,” he says. “I ran out the door, chasing the truck,
got their attention then ran back toward the house screaming. It was
pure chaos.”

At that point, a neighbor told Keith that Kathleen and Jason were
inside another neighbor’s home, but Keith was suffering from delirium
caused by severe smoke inhalation.

“They found me wandering in a nearby yard. The next thing I remember
was waking up in the ambulance with an oxygen mask on my face.”

The next day, the fire investigators told the Grahams that the blaze had begun in the electric panel.

“I knew it was a bad panel,” he says.

The family was preparing to embark on a remodeling project and Keith,
who runs a Lake Highlands-based air conditioning company with his
brother, Kelly, had already purchased a replacement. He just hadn’t
gotten around to installing it yet.

“I lost everything in that fire, and almost my life,” he says.

These types of electrical fires spread remarkably fast, Graham says,
because the panels are often located in the garage, “where you keep lawn
mowers and gasoline and all of your most flammable items.”

Many other panels are in closets, also a source of kindle such as clothing and Christmas decorations.

Like Clardy, Keith Graham feels obligated to share his experience with anyone who will listen.
“I’ve had at least 30 panels in the neighborhood replaced because of
my story,” he says. “These things are ticking time bombs, and if I saw
one in someone’s home, didn’t warn them and something happened to them, I
couldn’t live with myself.”

Clardy and Graham’s anecdotal evidence is alarming, but there are no
hard statistics when it comes to how many FPE panels cause house fires
because fire investigators typically report electricity-caused fires as
“electrical malfunction”. It would be rare for an investigator to take
note of the brand on the electrical panel, Section Chief James Adams of
the Dallas Fire and Rescue Fire Investigation Division says.

Antos, whose company has replaced “hundreds, maybe thousands” of
panels in the Dallas area, says that it would be unfair to call
FPE-caused fires “common”.

“Statistically, there might have been five fires [in the Dallas area]
in the last 10 years,” he says. “I don’t want to scare people, but if
there was one in my house, I would get it replaced.”

Antos notes that homeowners who have an FPE panel but can’t replace
it can do a few things to make the home safer: Have someone look at the
breaker box once a year. Make sure it is working and that the breakers
are tight. Every few months, flip the breakers on and off — it may help
to unlock the components that prevent it from tripping.

Still, your best bet, Antos says, is to have a qualified electrician replace the panel.

Surveyor is a leading energy management (EMS) for small box retail chains and other multi-location businesses, helping them save tens of millions of dollars in annual energy costs and reduce CO2 emissions, while giving them unprecedented visibility into their stores.

Surveyor is the choice of major retail chains including Auto Zone, Family Dollar and Payless Shoe Source. It is currently installed in more than 13,000 locations throughout North America, controlling more than 55,000 rooftop HVAC systems and lighting control panels.

Surveyor empowers small-box retailers and other multi-location businesses to remotely monitor, control and manage the HVAC, lighting/electrical and mechnical systems in all their stores, giving them unparalleled access into their energy usage.

With Surveyor, a single person can easily control existing HVAC, lighting/electrical and mechanical systems at thousands of locations via the Internet through their secure corporate network, while monitoring environmental conditions and system performance.

Whether it's for a chain with thousands of locations, Surveyor allows authorized users to look at the equipment, change set points, run exception reporting and run energy usage reports for the entire chain, individual locations, or by grouping locations.

Zubras
Electric is happy to announce that we now accept on-line payments.
Through our partnership with Intuit Payment Network it's as easy as
1-2-3. Just follow the link on your invoice, enter some basic
information and submit! This is just another way that Zubras Electric
makes it easier for you, our valued customer.

31 Keep Dryer Lint Trap CleanIf the moisture can easily leave the dryer through a clean lint trap then it will be more efficient and be able to run for less time.32 Run Full Loads of LaundryIf you run full loads of laundry you can therefore put more items in the dryer at the end of each cycle, and run the dryer less often.33 Soak Your DishesSoaking off the tough food stains on your dishes overnight means that the following day you can put your pre-soaked dishes in the dishwasher on an energy conservation cycle.34 Check Your Dryer Before the End of the CycleJust because you’ve set the dryer for 90 minutes, it doesn’t mean the items won’t be dry before then. Checking before the end of the cycle allows you to remove the items which are dry and turn off the dryer, or let the items which need more time dry more quickly on their own.35 Check Your Dryer EfficiencyAs your dryer runs it may tangle large items such as sheets. However, if you check their progress regularly you will be able to untangle them so they can dry more quickly.36 Don’t Completely Dry Clothes in the DryerTaking items from the dryer when they are still damp will help them last longer and it also means you can use your dryer less if you hang them up to dry naturally.37 Can Your Dryer Sense Moisture?If your dryer has a moisture sensor feature make sure this is activated as your dryer will shut off once it senses the clothes are dry.38 Do Consecutive Loads of LaundryWhen your dryer is already warmed up, keep washing to take advantage of the warmth, rather than making it heat up from cold again another time.39 Don’t Use the Wrinkle Shield Feature of Your DryerIf left unattended, the Wrinkle Shield will run the dryer at the end of the cycle for two minutes, every five minutes to stop the clothes wrinkling inside. If you’re out and unaware, your dryer will be running almost the entire time.40 Turn Off Your Home OfficeIf you don’t want to scramble around with cables when you’re not using your office equipment, at least turn them off when they’re not in use.

21 Turn Off Lights When TV is OnThe TV provides its own light if you need to get up and move around the room and you certainly don’t need the light on to see the TV better – in fact it’s likely to look better in the dark.22 Turn the TV Off When You’re Not WatchingIf you’re going in and out of the room getting ready for work or cooking or cleaning, don’t leave the TV on when you’re not there to watch it.23 Watch Less TVTurning the TV off when you leave a room may also lead you to watch less TV all together which can save you even more. Plus, flat screen TVs especially, get very hot when on for long periods of time so get off the couch and couple saving electricity with exercise, gardening or board games.24 Don’t Dehumidify When It’s Not HumidYou will only need a dehumidifier to be running when it’s humid so to avoid unnecessary electricity consumption, turn them off during late autumn, winter and early spring.25 Unplug Battery ChargersAfter your iPod, camera or other device has charged, unplug the device and the charger from the wall. Even when your device isn’t plugged into its charger, the charger is still consuming electricity.26 Turn Off AppliancesLeave your fridge and freezer running of course, but make sure all other appliances are off when you leave the house – your microwave, stereo and coffee maker don’t need to stay on while you’re gone.27 Take All Food From the Fridge at OnceIf you’re cooking take all the ingredients from the fridge at the same time, or if you’re making a sandwich get all the toppings in one go as opening the fridge door less, means it doesn’t have to work as hard.28 Clean Fridge CoilsClean coils means your fridge will take less electricity to keep its contents cold.29 Use Half As Much LightGo through your house and unscrew every second light bulb and see whether you really do need so much light in your home.30 Clean Dishwasher DrainIf your dishwasher is clean, then your dishes will be too and if you allow only clean water to come through the drain, there is less chance you need to rewash the dishes and use yet more power.

11 Indoor Clothes Drying AreaSetting aside a space inside to hang your clothes on an airer will make it easier for you to stop using the dryer and all that extra power.12 Turn Off Your Home OfficeWhen working from home you need a break from the office too, even if you just close the door to the spare room and forget about it for the weekend. Well, while you’re forgetting about work, unplug all of your office equipment on the weekend too.13 Unplug Your Home OfficeIf your home office doesn’t run at the same pace as an inner-city business then you don’t need to be using the same amount of power either. Therefore, if you’re not printing anything unplug your printer, if you’re not scanning anything unplug your scanner, if you’re not using your audio equipment then unplug your speakers.14 Turn Off and Turn InBefore you go to bed it will cost you nothing to double check that all lights, TVs and electrical equipment are turned off.15 Use Your Front Door Not Your Garage DoorYour garage door opener uses power every time you come and go from your house. Therefore, if you’re stopping at home quickly leave your car in the driveway instead of opening and closing the garage door. Plus, if you have an entrance to your home from your garage, use it, instead of opening and closing the garage door for your car, and again for yourself.16 Turn Off Your ComputerA simple money saving habit to get into and one which will save you a fortune in power you’re just wasting when your computer sits idle.17 Not a FanIf you are cooling off in front of a fan, make sure to turn it off when you leave the room. A fan is only going to make you feel cooler when you are in front of it and leaving it on when you’re not there is not going to lower the temperature of your home.18 Turn Off Appliances When You LeaveIf you’re not watching the TV remember to turn it off, same too for your computer and games console. You can turn them right back on when you return.19 Transfer From Freezer to FridgeIf you plan out the next several meals you can transfer all that food from your freezer to your fridge at once. Opening your freezer less will mean it doesn’t have to work as hard as if the door was regularly being opened.20 Christmas Lights Light Up the NightDon’t leave your Christmas lights running during the day – no one can see them. Also make sure to wait until it’s actually dark to turn them on at night.

1 Turn Off Your LightsA simple habit to remember and one which can save you a fortune. Turing off the lights when you leave a room and when you go out makes financial sense, and should appeal to your common sense too.2 Stop Your Dishwasher Drying Your DishesTurn off the dish drying function of your dishwasher cycle and boost your savings account by letting your dishes dry naturally.3 Using Table LampsTable lamps will light just the space you are using, making them a much more efficient option than turning on all the numerous and larger overhead lights.4 Shut Off Mains PowerIf you are willing to reprogram your alarm clocks and recorders when you return, turning off your mains power when you leave the house can save you a lot of cents when you add up the power used when appliances are on standby.5 Only Use Lights When NeededGet out of the habit of turning lights on whenever you enter a room. Often by simply opening a curtain you’ll have enough light for general tasks during the day.6 Turn Lights Off When You Leave a RoomA habit which is going to save you money on your electricity bill when you do it regularly – plus there is no substance to the myth that turning lights off and on uses more power than leaving them running, so no matter how long you’re leaving a room for, turn off the light.7 Free Cooling PassagesThe air comes into your fridge and freezer through a vent on the inside so make sure you don’t place food or items in front of that vent, as the appliance will have to work harder.8 Use Task LightingIf you’re working on the computer or reading a book, use lighting which will light up just the space you need. This is especially important if you are at your desk where your computer, monitor, printer and office equipment is already powered up.9 Hand Wash Single DishesIf you have a full load then your dishwasher is more water and energy efficient, but if not, wash the few plates or mugs by hand.10 Untangle Your DryingIf you separate your washing before putting it in the dryer the dryer will be much more efficient.

Zubras Electric, Inc. has been in the electrical contracting business since 1995. From our inception we have built our company at a conservative rate hiring only high quality technicians, project managers and estimators and doing business with some of the most reputable general contractors and end users in the metroplex.
Our motto is "We Make it Happen" and we stand on this premise as the cornerstone of our business plan. Our detailed approach to each project includes up front planning and hands on project management. The efficiencies gained in this detailed approach result in a quality project at a fair competitive value. We guarantee our work for one year and offer 24 hour emergency service utilizing radio dispatched service technicians.
Our base coverage area is the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex.

At Zubras Electric, Inc. we have a deep commitment to service. Whether your needs are for residential electrical service or for commercial electrical service we have fully qualified, licensed electricians available to provide 24-hour emergency service. Our electricians are specifically trained in all aspect of electrical repairs. In addition our electricians are background checked and drug tested to ensure safe, quality and professional electrical service.

Our job is never final until our customer is completely satisfied, and of course, our work is fully warranted. We hope that you will make Zubras Electric, Inc. your Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex electrician. Please call us at 214-319-6900 or click the Service Request Form link to fill out an on line service request.

Zubras Electric, Inc. has been in the electrical contracting business since 1995. From our inception we have built our company at a conservative rate, hiring only high quality technicians, project managers and estimators and doing business with some of the most reputable general contractors and end users in the metroplex.

Our vast experience in the electrical industry enables us to complete projects in the areas of:

Energy Management System Installation

Fire Damage and Water Restoration

Architectural Water Features

Medical Construction and Service

Plan/Spec - New Construction and Remodel

Our motto is "We Make it Happen" and we stand on this premise as the cornerstone of our business plan. Our detailed approach to each project includes up front planning and hands on project management. The efficiencies gained in this detailed approach result in a quality project at a fair and competitive value. We guarantee our work for one year and off 24 hour emergency service utilizing radio dispatched service technicians.

61 Turn Off the Porch Light When You Get HomeIf you’re the last one home at night, who are you leaving the porch light on for? This is a simple habit to get into when you get home.

62 Leave the Porch Light OffChances are your street is lit with street lights so do you really need to leave the porch light on at all? Moonlight, coupled with the street lights or even the light of your mobile phone should be enough to help you find the right key at night for free.

63 Use a Single Power BoardYou can use one power board in the lounge, one in the office, one in the bedroom, one for the kids…once you connect all appliances in a room to one power board you can quickly and easily turn off everything at once so you can be sure you’re not wasting any standby power.

64 Separate Your Fridge and StoveIf your fridge is next to your stove, your fridge is going to have to work a lot harder to keep cool with all that extra hot air around – especially if you open the fridge while you’re cooking.

65 Paint LightChoosing light paint colors can help minimize the need for more lighting as light paint naturally reflects light into dark spaces.

66 Give Your Electronics a HolidayWhen you go away on holiday, give your electrical appliances a break too and unplug all the clock radios, DVD players, game consoles and TVs. If you’re leaving for an extended period even try and empty out the fridge so you can unplug that too.

67 Fill Up Your FridgeIf your fridge isn’t full, place some (full) water bottles inside as this leaves less space that your fridge has to work on to keep cool, and the cold items will keep the fridge itself cold too.

68 Collect Leaves ManuallyUse a rake instead of a leaf blower and take the opportunity to get a little exercise as you save some electricity.

69 Clean Your Light FixturesIf your light fixtures are clean, you will probably find you can get away with turning on fewer lights, as there is more light coming from the ones already on.

70 Keep the Pool Pump CleanMake sure the strainer baskets in your swimming pool pump are free and clean, because when they start to get blocked, the pump has to work harder and use more electricity.

71 Keep Your Freezer FullIf your freezer is full, the frozen items will work to keep the inside of the freezer cold and allow the freezer to use less electricity.

72 Shovel Snow by HandGet out there and put your back into shoveling snow by hand, rather than using your snow blower. It might even help you work off those extra winter kilos you put on over the holidays.

51 Computer on StandbyThis is a setting you can easily change and you can chose the time-out period before your computer powers down after inactivity.

52 Air Dry Your HairBefore you blast your hair with the hair dryer, consider whether you really need to – are you going out, are you going to catch a cold? Probably not, so where you have the opportunity to air dry you hair, do – try washing your hair at night and when you wake up in the morning it’s dry, for free.

53 Light Free DayGet into the habit of using no lights for just one day a week. You can make it into a game or challenge for your family, or simply start a romantic candle-lit dinner tradition – all while saving on your power bill.

54 Don’t Dispose of Garbage in the SinkIf you have a garbage disposal system in your sink, think before you use it – do you really need to or can you just take your rubbish out to the bin?

55 Fill Up Your DishwasherDon’t run your dishwasher unless it’s full as you’re going to do more loads in the long run and waste all that power and water on a half load.

56 Unplug the Second FridgeIf you have a second fridge in the laundry or garage for beers and food and other drinks for parties, it doesn’t need to be plugged in all the time. If you can, even try to get rid of it all together.

57 Disconnect the Microwave LightYour kitchen is likely to be quite well lit so when you (responsibly) unplug the light bulb in the microwave to save on electricity, you probably won’t even miss it.

58 Raise the Fridge TemperatureDon’t raise the temperature so far that your food spoils, but just check the setting now – is it on the coldest setting? Probably. Well it doesn’t need to be, turn the thermostat just a few notches warmer and your fridge won’t have to work so hard.

59 Raise the Freezer TemperatureThe same electricity saving idea can be applied to your freezer too because unless your freezer is packed to the brim, it doesn’t need to be on the absolute coldest setting to keep things frozen.

60 Remove One Light Bulb in Your Garage Door OpenerWhile it’s convenient for your garage door opener to light up when you’ve just entered, most systems will have two light bulbs, so try it with just one and see whether there’s enough light.

41 Put Scanner on Sleep ModeThis means you don’t even have to remember to turn off your scanner after use, and you can still save electricity.

42 Put Printer on Sleep ModeUsing the sleep function means you don’t have to plug in and unplug your printer each time you stop using it, but you can still save on your power bill.

43 Put Fax Machine on Sleep ModeLeaving your fax machine on full time in case a fax comes through is unnecessarily using power but putting it to sleep mode can combat this waste.

44 Turn Off Your Games ConsoleAnything like a Nintendo an X-Box or a PlayStation will keep using power even when you’re not playing so if you’ve finished or are taking a break, save and turn it off.

45 Unplug Your Games ConsoleEven if the console is off it is still using power so unplug your Nintendo, X-Box or PlayStation at the wall.

46 Unplug Your Phone ChargerEven if you’ve unplugged your phone from its charger, the charger is still sucking out power if it’s left plugged in.

47 Manual GardeningUse manual shears to trim the bushes and hedges in your garden rather than powering up your electric trimmers.

48 Manual Can OpenerIf you have an electric can opener, you probably still have a manual one so get it out of the drawer and stop using an electrical appliance when you have a manual one which works just as well and for free.

49 Have Bread Not ToastChoosing to eat your bread fresh rather than toasted can save a lot of power over breakfast, especially if the whole family gets onboard with bread.

50 Rotate Cordless Phones in One ChargerInstead of having several cordless phone handsets charging at once, use just one charger base on a rotation basis.

Visit Our Website

About Us

Zubras Electric, Inc. has been in the electrical contracting business since 1995. From our inception we have built our company at a conservative rate hiring only high quality technicians, project managers and estimators and doing business with some of the most reputable general contractors and end users in the metroplex.

Our motto is "We Make it Happen" and we stand on this premise as the cornerstone of our business plan. Our detailed approach to each project includes up front planning and hands on project management. The efficiencies gained in this detailed approach result in a quality project at a fair competitive value. We guarantee our work for one year and offer 24 hour emergency service utilizing radio dispatched service technicians.

Our base coverage area is the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. We are a Better Business Bureau accredited business.